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Adult Learners' Week
Focus days during Adult Learners' Week
Promote your event for free
News of learning festivals
Free posters for your organisation
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  Adult Learners' Week 2006
The week 14,000 learners try their hand at something new!
May 20th to 26th Planning is well underway for our annual national festival of bite-size learning in May. Over the 15 years that Adult Learners' Week has taken place, this learning bonanza has grown and grown... and grown! Last year no less than 14,000 people all over Wales took part and this year we aim to beat that figure again. With your help, we can achieve our aim and bring the joy of learning into the lives of even more people up and down the country. By taking part and supporting Adult Learners' Week you can help to: - Promote participation in learning
- Increase access to information, advice and guidance
A great opportunity for you Adult Learners' Week is a great opportunity for learning providers! A national marketing campaign is orchestrated by NIACE Dysgu Cymru to help build awareness of the festival. Learners all over Wales will be inspired and ready to get involved again this year, so make sure you are part of the action. Start planning your programme of “bite-size” tasters now and give learners in your community the chance to have a go. To help you we have compiled a list of key themes popular with learners, and proven to help make learning more accessible for all. Base your event around one of these themes and you're sure to have a very successful festival! Learning themes to help you plan your event Learning to Live Differently
Cultural Diversity Day takes place on 20 May 2006 and aims to raise awareness and understanding between different cultures Learning Through Equality and Diversity
Securing more and different adult learners Learning for a Healthy Life
Promoting the health benefits of learning, particularly in later life Learning for Life
Promoting literacy and numeracy skills, as well as ICT and English as a second language Learning to Understand Money
Highlighting the provision of financial literacy through taster events in Adult Learners' Week Learning About the Media: Press, Publicity and Persuasion
Informing learners and providers of the value and importance of media literacy Learning Through the Global Context
Engaging in events about sustainability, regional issues, migration, fair trade, the environment and other 'global' issues Learning through the Arts
Activities that engage adults in learning through a variety of creative media Learning Journeys and Festivals
Organising learning trails and/or local Learning Festivals to promote the benefits of returning to learning 15 sub-themes to celebrate 15 successful years To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Adult Learners' Week in Britain, the four countries of Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have got together and devised 15 sub-themes for providers to choose from. We hope these provide you with even more inspiration for your event! - Languages
- Inward migration
- The value of learning
- Funding of campaigns and of provision
- Financial inclusion
- Changing demography (Older learners)
- Workplace learning
- The health agenda
- Regeneration
- Culture (heritage, museums and libraries)
- Progression and guidance
- Digitalisation/media literacy
- European Year of Workers' Mobility
- Family Learning
- Reading and Writing
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Focus days during Adult Learners' Week
Cultural Diversity Day: Saturday 20 May, Britain has benefited from ethnic diversity throughout its history. From industry and commerce to art and dance, from sport and music to science and literature, the activities of individuals and groups from ethnic minorities have enriched life in Britain for all. (For more information see the Commission for Racial Equality website.) Cultural Diversity Day was introduced in 2002 to start addressing some elements of the equality and diversity agendas. It has since become integrated into Adult Learners' Week in May, and enriched and enhanced the festival of learning. This year Cultural Diversity Day takes place on 20 May. With the support of our Providers, we will: - Raise awareness and understanding between different cultures
- Celebrate the similarities and differences between cultures
- Encourage community cohesion
- Support and promote activities and events celebrating diversity
- Raise policy makers' awareness of concerns and issues around barriers to learning
"Cultural diversity provides an opportunity for everyone to come together and share ideas and good practice. So much good practice in the field of challenging racism and promoting cultural diversity through adult education goes unnoticed. Cultural Diversity Day provides an opportunity for you to showcase what you are doing in this area and for other providers to learn from your experiences. It also provides an opportunity for you to encourage learners from minority groups to take advantage of your services."
Lenford White, Development Officer, NIACE. Learning at Work Day:Thursday 25 May Learning At Work Day - the initiative that aims to bring learning into the workplace - is fast approaching and we have been really impressed with the imaginative ways so many companies and organisations got involved last year. Last year many organisations staged events, some of which are listed below. Click below to find out more about the activities these leading organisations planned. - Land Registry of Wales
- Companies House
- National Assembly
- Swansea's Wave FM
- Careers Wales
- The Welsh Clothing Textile Association
You can also visit www.learningatworkday.com for ideas and promotional materials. This year, Louise Edwards and Nia Williams of Fusion UK have been helping us plan Learning at Work Day 2006. If you want more information on how to get involved, please contact Louise at louise@fusionuk.org.uk. Silver Surfers Day: Friday 26 May For more details and to receive an e-magazine please visit: www.silversurfersday.org Back to top
Promote your event for free
Get it listed in our regional festival guide and on our website. If you are running an event we will promote it free on our website and we will list it in our regional Festival Guides going to over 600,000 homes in Wales. Some of the events will also be covered in features we are preparing for local press and the learndirect helpline signposts learners to events featured on our online calendar, so don't miss out! learndirect will point learners to your event Don't forget that the national publicity for Adult Learners' Week will encourage people to call the learndirect advice line on 0800 100 900. Calls are free. Advisors will talk through learning options with callers and direct them to local events and courses. Course providers - Does learndirect have an up to date listing of your provision? Learning Choices is the database used by the helpline advisers of learndirect, Career Advisers and the general public. To ensure they have your correct data we would appreciate you checking your details via their website www.careerswales.com We have included detailed instructions on checking your details. Back to top
Learning Festivals
Festivals taking place the length and breadth of Wales as part of Adult Learners' Week One of the most pleasing aspects of Adult Learners' Week has been the introduction of the many local and community festivals that have been planned as part of the national campaign. We have been delighted at just how many of our partners have offered to support Adult Learners' Week by organising festivals on their own patch. We really do appreciate that these take a great deal of time to bring together but we are convinced that all the organisers will be rewarded for their efforts with lively, colourful, vibrant well attended events. We have listed the many festivals taking place below. If you would like to offer your support in any way or have any ideas which could help the organisers then please do get in touch. |